The Big Tech Show From near collapse to Netflix — an amazing Irish scaleup story | Can It Scale?
Oct 22, 2026
Emmet O’Neill, CEO of Irish children’s app company StoryToys, recounts its astonishing journey from near bankruptcy to partnerships with LEGO, Disney, Marvel and Netflix. He discusses the iPad-inspired career pivot, failed projects, painful staff cuts, and the email from LEGO that changed everything. Also covered: StoryToys’ Team17 acquisition, Netflix’s games strategy and AI’s role in app development.
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The Acquisitions That Looked Like Bargains
- StoryToys acquired TouchPress and expensive middle-school game assets, assuming discounted intellectual property would automatically become profitable.
- The acquisitions reflected the dangerous logic that high prior development costs guarantee future commercial value.
A Dream Team App Earned Under $30000
- StoryToys assembled exceptional talent, including Patrick Stewart and Muppet designers, yet one release earned under $30,000.
- Creative quality alone could not compensate when products failed to resonate with the market.
Leaders Must Share The Pain Of Restructuring
- In a survival crisis, leaders should ensure senior management shares the sacrifice of restructuring.
- Barry moved from CEO to supportive chair while Emmet O’Neill took responsibility for product and execution.
